The Bad Penny (beta)

Mercyful Fate might be the biggest draw at Psycho Las Vegas 2022 — but they can’t claim the thrown as the festival’s elder statesmen. In fact, a full decade before King Diamond and his cohorts jelled as a band, Cirith Ungol originated in Ventura, California.

To give you a clearer idea of how far Cirith Ungol to back, they played their first gig at anti-war rally during Vietnam. Thus, the band finds itself among Psycho royalty that also includes Alice Cooper, Arthur Brown, Blue Öyster Cult and … well, not many other festival alums. Even Goblin formed a year after Cirith Ungol.